Glass bulb blowing machine

ABSTRACT

A glass-bulb-blowing machine including a plurality of interconnected orifice plate supporting link units, comprising a baseplate. Each orifice plate is removably connected to one end of the baseplate by means of a projection and opening connection and locked in position by means of a sliding member. The sliding member is mounted on the one end of the baseplate and springs urge it into locking engagement with the orifice plate.

finite States atet Inoue et a1.

GLASS BULB BLOWING MACHINE Inventors: Noboru Inoue, Funabashi-shi; Makoto Wada, Kawasaki-shi, both of Japan Assignee: Tokyo Shilbaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha a/k/a Tokyo Shibaura Electric (10., Ltd., Kanagawa-ken, Japan Filed: July 23, 1969 Appl. No; 844,036

Foreign Application Priority Data July 31, 1968 Japan ..43/65061 us. ca ..65/172, 65/261 1m. 01. 031 9/00 Field ofSearch ..65/167, 172, 173, 184, 261,

145 Mar. 14, 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,608,967 1 1/1926 Tucker et a1 ..65/l72 2,729,916 l/1956 Casler et al ..65/264 Primary ExaminerS. Leon Bashore Assistant Examiner-Saul R. Friedman Attorney-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato [5 7] ABSTRACT A glass-bulb-blowing machine including a plurality of interconnected orifice plate supporting link units, comprising a baseplate. Each orifice plate is removably connected to one end of the baseplate by means of a projection and opening connection and locked in position by means of a sliding member.

The sliding member is mounted on the one end of the baseplate and springs urge it into locking engagement with the orifice plate.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures FIG.

PAIENTEI] MAR 14 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 3 PATENTEDMAR 14 1972 3,649,238

sum 3 [1F 3 GLASS BULB BLOWING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a glass-bulb-blowing machine of the so-called ribbon machine type and more particularly to improved means for removably supporting orifice plates.

As is well known in the art, in the ribbon-type glass-bulbblowing machines a plurality of orifice plate supporting link units are interconnected to form an endless chain and a plurality of blow head links and mould links are also interconnected to form an endless chain. To blow glass bulbs, a glass ribbon is supported on the orifice plates mounted respectively on orifice plate supporting links and while the blow tips of blow head links and glass-bulb-blowing moulds are being brought to engage opposite surface of the glass ribbon, compressed air is supplied through the blow tips and through openings or orifices of the orifice plates. As such a glass-bulbblowing machine operates to blow bulbs of different types and moreover at a high speed and high temperature it is necessary to frequently exchange the orifice plates. Moreover, as the number of orifice plates employed in one machine is numerous, it is required to exchange them in a short time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved supporting device for orifice plates of a glassbulb-blowing machine which enables easy and prompt exchange of orifice plates,

According to this invention each orifice plate is removably connected to one end of a base plate of each orifice plate supporting link unit by suitable connecting means, such as a pin and opening connection, and locked in the connected position by means of a sliding member which is normally urged toward the orifice plate into locking engagement therewith. With this construction, the orifice plate can be readily removed by merely retracting the sliding member away from the orifice plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. I is a plan view of an orifice plate supporting link unit constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the orifice plate supporting link unit shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of blow head links cooperating with the orifice plates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the accompanying drawing, there is shown an orifice plate supporting link unit 1 comprising a horizontal base or support plate 2, and locking means comprising a slidable plate member 3 slidable along a guideway defined by the base plate 2 and a cover plate 4 secured to the base plate for releasably locking an orifice plate 9 in a predetermined fixed position. The sliding plate 3 is continuously biased into a locking position by a pair of compression springs S and its fore or leading lower edge is slanted as at 6.

Pins 7 or projections are secured to the base plate 2 near its free end and extend through mounting openings of the orifice plate 9 with its fore end 8 slanted to cooperate with the slanted leading end 6 of the slidable or sliding plate 3. The slanted portions 6 and 8 comprise inclined mating surface portions and cooperate together when the slidable plate 3 is in its locking position to releasably lock the orifice plate in its fixed position. The slidable plate member 3 is also provided with a lip portion (not numbered) projecting towards the orifice plate 9 and engageable therewith to increase the locking effect of the inclined mating surfaces.

The orifice plate 9 is provided with a glass-bulb-blowing opening or orifice 11 and the orifice plate supporting link unit 1 with guide rollers 12 and I3 cooperating with a rail 14 having a L-shaped cross section.

As shown in FIG. 3 each one of the blow head links 15 which are connected together to form an endless chain is provided with a bushing 16 to slidably receive a sleeve 17 which is normally urged upwardly by means of a compression spring 18. The sleeve 17 accommodates a blow pipe 19 which is normally biased downwardly by means of a compression spring 20. The blow pipe 19 is provided at its lower end with a blow tip 22 adapted to engage a glass ribbon 21 from which glass bulbs are to be blown through openings 11 of the orifice plates 9 and at its upper end with a blow shoe 24 adapted to slidably engage a liner 23 at the bottom of an air tank (not shown). Cam rollers or followers 25 and 26 are mounted respectively on one side of the sleeve 17 and the blow pipe I9 to be operated by cams (not shown) such that blow shoe 24 is brought to engage liner 23 before blow tip 22 engages the glass ribbon 21 thus ensuring a supply of air blow at the time when the blow tip 22 and glass 21 are brought into positive engagement. As shown by dot and dash lines a bulb 27 is blown beneath each opening 11 of the orifice plate, the configuration of the bulb being determined by the mould, not shown. To exchange a damaged orifice plate 9, the sliding plate 3 is retracted against the bias of springs 5 to disengage slants the inclined mating surface portions 6 and 8 and then orifice plate 9 is raised to disengage it from the pins 7 thus removing the orifice plate from the base plate.

Then a new orifice plate 9 is placed in position while sliding plate 3 is being held in its retracted position. Thereafter sliding plate 3 is released to cause the slants 6 and 8 to reengage each other thus locking the new orifice plate.

In this manner exchange of the orifice plate can be made very readily within a very short time of the order of only several seconds.

We claim:

1. In a glass-bulb-blowing machine including a plurality of interconnected orifice plate supporting link units and a plurality of orifice plates removably supported by said supporting link units, the improvement wherein each of said orifice plate supporting link units comprises a base plate, a sliding member slidably mounted on one end of said base plate, an orifice plate removably connected to said one end of said base plate, and means urging said sliding member into locking engagement with said orifice plate.

2. The glass-bulb-blowing machine according to claim I wherein said orifice plate is connected to said base plate by means of a pin and opening connection.

3. The glass-bulb-blowing machine according to claim I wherein said orifice plate and said sliding member are pro vided with cooperating slanted surface portions.

4. In a glassbulb-blowing apparatus: an orifice plate; a support plate member; means removably mounting said orifice plate in a fixed position on said support plate member; and locking means for releasably locking said orifice plate in said fixed position on said support plate member comprising a slidable plate member slidable into and out of a locking position, means on said slidable plate member coacting with said orifice plate for releasably locking said orifice plate in said fixed position when said slidable plate member is in said locking position, means mounting said slidable plate member for sliding movement on said support plate member into and out of said locking position, and means continuously biasing said slidable plate member into said locking position; whereby sliding movement of said slidable plate member out of said locking position allows said orifice plate to be readily removed from said support plate member and easily replaced by another.

5. A glass bulb blowing apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said means on said slidable plate member coacting with said orifice plate comprises inclined mating surface portions on said slidable plate member and said orifice plate engageable together when said slidable plate member is in said locking position to releasably lock said orifice plate in said fixed position and disengageable from each other when said slidable plate member is out of said locking position.

6. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 5; wherein said slidable plate member includes a lip portion projecting outwardly from the slidable plate member inclined surface portion towards said orifice plate and overlying a surface portion of said orifice plate when said inclined mating surfaces are engaged to effectively increase the locking effect.

7 A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said means mounting said slidable plate member for sliding movement comprises a cover member connected to said support plate member and defining therewith a guideway, and wherein said slidable plate member has an end portion slidable along said guide way into and out of said locking position 8. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 7; wherein said means continuously biasing said slidable plate member comprises spring means disposed along said guideway continuously urging said slidable member into said locking position.

9. A glassbulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said means removably mounting said orifice plate in a fixed position comprises means defining mounting openings in said orifice plate, and projections on said support plate member each releasably and snugly engaged within respective ones of said mounting opening thereby defining said fixed position of said orifice plate.

10. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 9; wherein said means on said slidable plate member coacting with said orifice plate comprises inclined mating surface portions on said slidable plate member and said orifice plate engageable together when said slidable plate member is in said locking position to releasably lock said orifice plate in said fixed position and disengageable from each other when said slidable plate member is out of said locking position. 

1. In a glass-bulb-blowing machine including a plurality of interconnected orifice plate supporting link units and a plurality of orifice plates removably supported by said supporting link units, the improvement wherein each of said orifice plate supporting link units comprises a base plate, a sliding member slidably mounted on one end of said base plate, an orifice plate removably connected to said one end of said base plate, and means urging said sliding member into locking engagement with said orifice plate.
 2. The glass-bulb-blowing machine according to claim 1 wherein said orifice plate is connected to said base plate by means of a pin and opening connection.
 3. The glass-bulb-blowing machine according to claim 1 wherein said orifice plate and said sliding member are provided with cooperating slanted surface portions.
 4. In a glass-bulb-blowing apparatus: an orifice plate; a support plate member; means removably mounting said orifice plate in a fixed position on said support plate member; and locking means for releasably locking said orifice plate in said fixed position on said support plate member comprising a slidable plate member slidable into and out of a locking position, means on said slidable plate member coacting with said orifice plate for releasably locking said orifice plate in said fixed position when said sliDable plate member is in said locking position, means mounting said slidable plate member for sliding movement on said support plate member into and out of said locking position, and means continuously biasing said slidable plate member into said locking position; whereby sliding movement of said slidable plate member out of said locking position allows said orifice plate to be readily removed from said support plate member and easily replaced by another.
 5. A glass bulb blowing apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said means on said slidable plate member coacting with said orifice plate comprises inclined mating surface portions on said slidable plate member and said orifice plate engageable together when said slidable plate member is in said locking position to releasably lock said orifice plate in said fixed position and disengageable from each other when said slidable plate member is out of said locking position.
 6. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 5; wherein said slidable plate member includes a lip portion projecting outwardly from the slidable plate member inclined surface portion towards said orifice plate and overlying a surface portion of said orifice plate when said inclined mating surfaces are engaged to effectively increase the locking effect.
 7. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said means mounting said slidable plate member for sliding movement comprises a cover member connected to said support plate member and defining therewith a guideway, and wherein said slidable plate member has an end portion slidable along said guideway into and out of said locking position.
 8. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 7; wherein said means continuously biasing said slidable plate member comprises spring means disposed along said guideway continuously urging said slidable member into said locking position.
 9. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said means removably mounting said orifice plate in a fixed position comprises means defining mounting openings in said orifice plate, and projections on said support plate member each releasably and snugly engaged within respective ones of said mounting opening thereby defining said fixed position of said orifice plate.
 10. A glass-bulb-blowing apparatus according to claim 9; wherein said means on said slidable plate member coacting with said orifice plate comprises inclined mating surface portions on said slidable plate member and said orifice plate engageable together when said slidable plate member is in said locking position to releasably lock said orifice plate in said fixed position and disengageable from each other when said slidable plate member is out of said locking position. 